A Funny Little Thing Called Love
by a.n.g.e.l.i.c.w.o.r.l.d
Summary: Looks like Tasuki has met a new companion. Who thought he would be a bouncer at a popular club, living with the rest the gang in an apartment in Tokyo. He's assigned to protect a bar tender, but in the midst of it finds a symbol on her neck. R&R.
1. Chapter 1: Save Me!

**A Funny Little Thing Called Love  
**

_i do not own any of the 'Fushigi Yuugi' characters._

**Chapter 1: Save Me!**

Speakers soared above the sweaty crowd, who willingly pressed their  
soaked bodies against one another, the music's spellbinding rhythms  
was the cause of chaos to break lose from the listeners below. Bewitching  
girls hopped up on random tables placed on the dance floor, where they  
stood in silhouette heels, moving provocatively to what the Dj was spinning.  
Lights streamed over head of the crowd, giving the affect of smog drifting  
aloft their dancing bodies. The most intoxicated characters swatted at the  
flashes of light, desperately trying to catch the fairy tormenting them. Small  
groups of dear friends found themselves attracted to the bar, where a  
conversation could be at least somewhat heard between two people. The  
usual low life drunks sat around with 5 o'clock shadow, hunched over like  
always, begging the young bar tender to give them all a free round.

"Come on hiccup Yori, I knowya mom and dad. hiccup Don't I get some  
rights," he challenged, throwing his fist down in aggravation to the girl's silence.  
She turned her back on him and assisted a customer that had been waiting patiently.  
With fast hands from intense practice the seventeen year old threw down a glass,  
grabbed two bottles of hard alcohol from above her head, poured the liquor  
briskly with a trickling sound, placed a tin cap on the glass and shook aggressively.  
Her green eyes looked up from her work, and she smirked at the young man  
leaning on the bar, waiting for his shots. His hazel eyes stared back with a  
daring gaze, which Yori held onto. While keeping her eyes locked on his, she  
easily emptied out two shots for the client, without a drop hitting the hardwood  
bar top.

"Well, well, quite a show," he commented to her, hands gripping the two shots,  
"Uh huh, why don't you unbutton that little uniform of yours, I beat you're  
pretty hot." The small attraction Yori had to this guy left as fast as it had come;  
he was nothing but another sleaze just wanting a one night stand. The once  
locked gaze between the two broke as the teen noted his eyes wandering down,  
way down. It wasn't like her uniform was sexy, the only problem was the fabric  
hugged every curve on her slender frame which always started a problem with  
men under the influence.

"You seemed so nice too," she said, reaching down into the cold ice bucket  
underneath the bar, sinking her hand into the chips of stinging ice. With a ball of  
ice secure in her palm, she chucked it right at the perverts head walking away.  
Instantly, he responded to the mind-blowing attack from behind, unrestrained  
screaming first and then glass shattering on the tile floors. His hands massaged the  
back of his head, trying to quiet down the sharp throbbing. After realizing what  
had happened anger rushed through his blood, he turned to find the culprit who  
had inflicted so much hurt. It was simple to find the one guilty of the crime.  
Triumphantly Yori stood, arms folded in front of her chest and eyebrow raised,  
asking if the gentleman wanted more. A look of outrage flashed in the eyes of  
the man, his fingers curled in and out, warming up to knock the lights out of that  
whore. The boastful attitude of Yori vanished from her twinkling eyes as she saw  
the rage rising to extreme limits in her victim.

_Uh oh_, she thought. Her mind was racing by this point, she had never received such  
a reaction before from a harasser. The atmosphere grew still with only the oblivious  
dancers and music to fill in for the quiet groups around her. Every observer moved  
out of the way to create a path towards the bar for Yori's attacker, he was like a  
time bomb ready to explode at any moment, and the prey is desperately trying to get  
rid of it before any blood shed. Yori's hand grasped the cream colored emergency  
phone on the wall prepared to call up as many bouncers as possible to save her  
from death, but a hand gripped her shoulder, taking the phone and putting it back on  
the receiver.

Yori swerved around with eyes shut tight," I'm sorry, really I am. Just DON'T TALK  
TO ME LIKE THAT," she screamed, throwing her hands up the air. Her aggressor  
clasped onto her wrists, shaking her back and forth.

"Hey, whatcha gonna smack me across the face fer? Damnit, this is what I get for saving  
your scrawny ass." Slowly, she opened one eye and then the other, only to find herself  
stared down by a guy with flaming red hair. He let go of her wrist, wriggling to break  
free from his firm grasp. She looked over the guy's shoulder, watching a disappointed  
opponent slip back into the crowd, his duties would have to be done some other time  
when she was alone. A sigh of relief escaped her throat as all threats towards her  
disappeared, leaving her to only praise the defender.

"Absolutely fascinating," she said while circling him like a vulture, "How did you get  
such a vibrant color? Who's your hair dresser?" Yori tip toed to run her fingers through  
his soft locks of hair, they were so ideal. She might have been preoccupied with the  
chap's hair, but a glint of gold flickered in the corner of her eye. The bar tender recognized  
it as the employee name tag, the plate read 'Bouncer' and below that was the name 'Tasuki'.

"Hey, hey," Tasuki shouted, jumping back from his new admirer," what are you, some  
kind of sicko?" Yori backed away, hurt by the comment from her savior. Timidly, she  
first looked up at Tasuki and then out into the steamy crowd, searching for the guy  
wanting her neck. He was no where to be seen. Tasuki joined her as they lean against  
the now empty bar. Everyone had cleared out when they came to the realization that  
trouble was afoot. Glasses were left half empty, while others were left without a drop  
of liquor to residue in the cup. Yori started to wipe down the bar, picking up the mugs  
randomly sprawled across the lengthy counter along with the decent number of tips left  
under them.

"Well," Tasuki started, reaching over his head and scratching the back of it," it looks  
like I was assigned to watch out fer ya. Your dad wanted to make sure there wasn't  
anymore trouble."

Yori glanced up from what she had been attending to, only giving her new protector a  
look of disdain. Why did her father always have to single her out from everyone else,  
making the public and fellow employees think she was some spoiled brat. As she gazed  
at the fresh guardian that had been sent, her eyes fixated on how tone he was, and it  
wasn't a gross tone either, more of a fighter kind of build. Tasuki was still scratching  
his head in embarrassment with his shirt sleeve sliding down his arm. Yori was about to  
turn back to work when a glimmering light on her companions arm grabbed all interest.  
With eyes narrowed in on the new discovery, she noticed it wasn't a tattoo but what  
was it then? She turned from the bouncer, trying to avoid any confrontation from her  
rude staring. Out of habit, she rubbed the back of her neck trying to get rid of the frustration  
building up inside and in the process felt an awkward kind of heat radiating off her skin.  
Yori lifted up the neatly curled hair that fell down her back to reveal a symbol gleaming  
with so much energy that it caught the attention of Tasuki. After sometime she set her hair back  
down, but it was too late, he had already seen it.

Within seconds the young man was by her side, snatching hold of her wrists, forcing  
their eyes to meet. Yori stared up at him in a daze, having no idea what was going on.  
Tasuki loosened his grips, letting her left hand fall to her side while he gradually slipped  
his rough hand behind her neck and felt the mark that he had seen just moments before.

"Where didja get this?" He asked with a threatening tone that would not allow any lies  
from the girl. Her body felt overwhelmed by the symbol she had just seen on his right arm  
now right next to her face, staring her down along with Tasuki.

_It's only been twenty minutes since he's walked into my life, and already I know  
that there is no way he's ever going to walk out_. That was the last thought before  
her surroundings went blurry, everything was colliding together, and then finally there  
was nothing but** black**.

--..

**Note:**

Haha uh yea, interesting story right? Just some things if you don't understand.

Yori works in a club in Tokyo, Japan and well, her parents own the club so she's got a pretty sweet job.

Yea, she was just so overwhelmed from Tasuki that she just blackout, I mean he is quite an intimidating guy, how could you not?

Next chapter everything will be explained about what is happening with her having a symbol too.

This takes part way after the series is over and somehow everyone can get into Miaka's time whenever they want.

There will be visits from our o-so-favorite senshi within time. i love suzaku celestial warriors!

**more asap.**


	2. Chapter 2: Hospital Break Out

**A Funny Little Thing Called Love**

_I do not own any of the 'Fushigi Yuugi' characters_

**Chapter 2: Hospital Break Out**

"Yori Kondo," bellowed a distance voice," my little tenshi, wake up."

Mr. Kondo leaned over the hospital bed and playfully slapped his  
daughter's rosy face. Yori groaned in frustration, swatting at her  
father's tormenting tactic. A pout look spread across his chubby  
face, but he could not oblige to his little angel's wishes, quietly he  
backed away and sunk into the chair next to the girl.

Yori's pleasant slumber was lost after that, but in no means did she  
want to talk to her overprotective father. She could tell he felt  
uncomfortable just waiting for something to happen, exactly like the  
time mother passed away. Her stomach turned at the thought of the  
deceased woman, repeated scenes of her dad pacing the room at  
night along with his constant eruption of tears, revealed to his four  
year old daughter the Achilles' heel behind such a strong man. With  
a sigh, Yori knew she was incapable of pretending much longer and  
gave in. The patient's deep green eyes fluttered open, flooding her  
with intense fluorescent light from above. The feeling of recently  
starched bed sheets pressed against her bare skin, they felt rough and  
unwelcoming, nothing like the sheets at home. The oak door that led  
into the room had been left open, overflowing with a variety of familiar  
sounds. The click of fast paced heels echoed down the hall, the soft  
roll of carts reached her ears and far away a nurse called out for a  
doctor stat. The atmosphere touched a nerve; images from the past  
started a slide show in her mind. First opening with cheerful times then  
gracefully ending with a glimpse of a frail human being lying in her death  
bed, courageously accepting fate.

The club owner flew out of the over stuffed chair, rushing to his only  
daughter's side, waiting on her beckoning whim. Softly, he brushed back  
the bangs that fell over her eyes, an aura of happiness surrounding his  
large frame as he stood shaking.

"My daughter, I thought I had lost you forever," he balled with arms tightly  
wrapped around the only remembrance of his late wife. Yori tried  
desperately to comfort him but no attempt seemed to sooth his hysterias.  
Over Mr. Kondo's shoulder, on goers stared in to the white room, wondering  
what the ruckus was all about. To their dismay it was only an older man  
shuttering into a woman's arms, their heads shook in disapproval to the public  
display of weakness. Thank goodness visiting hours were over, forcing him to  
release her fragile form from his ever tightening grip. If it had been any longer,  
she would have passed out again from lack of oxygen.

The night nurse entered an hour after his departure, making sure all was well  
while exchanging the charts hanging on her bed. Yori nodded with a smile as  
the lady snapped off the burning lights on the ceiling, leaving only a lamp to  
illuminate the room. Propped up in bed, the bar tender glanced over at the clock,  
the digital numbers read 10:30. She leaned back into the feather pillows for a  
second time, knowing that it would be a long night. Not in a hurry to catch any  
beauty sleep all senses went on alert, hoping to find something interesting to  
preoccupy herself.

It paid off around 11:30 when the faint sound of tapping could be heard down  
the vacant corridor. Yori's mind raced with no explanations to the ghostly noise,  
the teen's intent of finding something to entertain her had only been a joke and  
that was all it should have been. Mentally the girl was kicking herself in the ass,  
understanding that if she had fallen fast asleep this noise wouldn't be scaring the  
shit out of her. Fear enthralled the soul of the panicked young lady, squeezing  
every bit of bravery from its depths. Breath after breath appeared to grow harder  
to take in, until finally the tapping discontinued outside the foot of her door. That's  
when everything played in slow motion, making the entrance of the unknown person  
more climatic.

"Hiya," whispered a miniature Tasuki, tip toeing carefully into the room.

"Ah!" Yori yelled, grabbing a hand full of bed sheets and covering herself  
protectively from the young man. A frantic look raced across his face as he  
stood there, trying to shush her quiet. Yori's hand flew over her mouth, praying  
that the yelp didn't reach the ears of the care takers on duty. Both of them  
froze, gazing at the opened doorway prepared to be confronted by blustering  
anger. After holding their breath for sometime all seemed clear for conversation.  
The mood fell awkward as they just watched one another from across the room,  
until a fake cough from Tasuki broke the tense silence.

"Uh, here," Yori gestured to the edge of her bed, which Tasuki hesitated to  
but did sit down on. It might have been a trick of the light, but the typically  
rugged protector was blushing madly as if insecure about sitting on a girl's bed.  
A snicker came from Yori, noticing the discomfort in his stiff form. Her legs  
were Indian style underneath the bleached blankets, the sleeping attire she wore  
was nothing but boy shorts and a concert t-shirt, not exactly appropriate. With a  
meaningful look she stared down Tasuki, gradually grabbing his attention from his  
shoelaces to her.

"What!" He asked scurrying farther down the end of the bed.

"Nothing really, I was you know just wondering…what you were doing here  
at midnight?" she stammered with a shrug to prove how utterly confused the girl felt.  
Tasuki ran his finger through the iron railings of the bed post, making a small clinking  
sound with his nails, a pathetic effort to not make eye contact.

"It was kinda funny, ya know, that outta all the people in this damn world, I hadda  
stumble on to you. I mean I don't regret it," he said, waving his hands in the air,  
desperately trying to back pedal and fix how it had come out," It's just that you were  
a surprise. I didn't know there were more of us—"

Yori's head shot up when he referred to _us_," What do you mean us?" She interrupted,  
raising a threatening eyebrow.

"Oh yea," he remembered, scratching the back of his head nervously," Well, here's  
the thing. Ya probably can't remember from last night, but I think this is what might  
'a' caused you to pass out."

Tasuki rolled up his black sleeve that concealed the symbol on his right arm.  
Yori's eyes widened at the sight of the miracle, never before had she seen such  
a thing with overwhelming power like that, especially from just a mere human.  
Unintentionally, she reached out to touch it, remembering that this was one of  
the last things seen before fainting. He could tell from Yori's response that she  
did recall the mark; the cocky guardian had to ask himself, how could she not?

"You see Yori, the character on the back of your neck—"

For a second time in a row, the young girl's head shot up with another questioning  
glare at Tasuki, "You mean I have one of those crazy things on me?"

"Will ya please let me finish," he retorted, discovering that there were woman in  
this world that spoke more than Miaka for the first time," Ta start off, what I mean  
by _us_ is the other celestial warriors of Suzaku, You see, because of this character,  
my loyalty is dedicated to all the duties the god needs me to do. No matter what  
they are I must follow them. There are only seven celestial warriors and of course  
our miko, which till this day we still faithfully look after. For you though, I don't  
know what ya are, honest."

Yori took her stare off Tasuki; once again she was misplaced in the brutal world,  
making her feel even more insignificant than before. The bouncer sensed her misery,  
trying hard to think quickly on his feet and make her smile. Tasuki hoisted himself up  
from the bed and walked towards Yori, who still sat sulking on the other side. He  
bent down so his face was level with hers, catching the girl off guard as he drew them  
closer. Tasuki's hand was slipped behind her thin neck, where it grew warm each time  
they came nearer. Before long Yori could feel his hot breath against the back of her neck.

"Wait a second," she knew her eyes weren't fooling her, that playful gaze  
of his was right in front of her, not behind. Yori reached up and removed  
Tasuki's hand from her neck, replacing it with her own. There was definitely  
something back there, but what?

"I thought that mighta made yer symbol heat up," he chuckled, giving  
himself a round of applause for an Oscar winning performance," I hope  
you didn't think anything of it, really, I hate girls."

Yori's heart sunk after he said that, the flame that had been increasing in  
her heart was blown out now that she knew there was no chance with him.

"So, your-r-r gay," the love sick teen stuttered, waiting for him to pour that  
gay heart of his out from bashing his lover to their fierce romance.

"Whaddya mean 'Am I gay'? Me? GAY?" He jumped back at her reply,  
wondering where the hell that statement came from," Glad ta say it, but I am  
the farthest thing from gay. I just find girls a torment at times, ya know?" The poor  
guy was looking for a reassuring smile, letting him know that no where in her mind  
did she think he was gay. And of course, Yori's face lit up with hope, relieved that  
she still had some possibility.

"Now about the symbol on your neck," he remarked, turning the subject to the more  
important matter at hand," I asked one 'a' my younger senshi about what it means.  
We found two big things. One, the character on your neck is 'jikoku' meaning 'time',  
and second, the gods love ta use there powers, but when things like this show up,  
it's big. So," Tasuki wove his fingers together and stretch out his arms," it looks like I'm  
here to break ya outta this place and take ya home with me."

Yori could not believe what she was hearing; it was both a nightmare  
and a dream at the same time. Yesterday, a normal confused seventeen  
year old, today, a daring young woman, taking a chance at a crazy adventure.  
Only one problem, how would her father react to the news of his baby girl gone  
missing? There was no doubt in her mind that he would have a cow, maybe a  
heart attack at that. She nibbled on her pinky nail, rethinking the danger of leaving  
without notice. Yori would never forgive herself if something happened to her dad  
because of her doing, no matter how overbearing he acted. Tasuki leaned against  
the door frame, waiting for her to join him.

"I guess," she started while slipping out from under the security of the covers," I could  
check in with him later, right?"

Even in the dim light she could feel the fixated stare of her companion as she stood  
exposed to the chilly air of the hospital at night. Usually in this situation, he would have  
been lying on the floor, groaning in pain by now but that was different. Tasuki wasn't  
gawking at her like a piece of meat, but instead his stare seemed a little more appreciative  
to her beauty. Still, Yori couldn't help blushing at the fact that the only things covering her  
were boy shorts and a t-shirt, she was no pageant queen, but he made her feel like one  
at least. At the foot of her bed awaited her sneakers, kind of odd how it was like they  
knew she would be leaving. Hurriedly, she slipped them onto her feet, turning sharp  
on her heel to unite with Tasuki out in the hallway.

"(Humph) Ouch," Yori wined as she lay a mess on the floor. Tasuki had seen it coming;  
untied shoelaces and darkness, always a bad mixture when you're in a rush. Her auburn  
hair masked the pained look on her face while she lay still from agony. It took but a minute  
for her to gain some strength to push herself up from the solid ground, but walking was a  
little bit difficult.

"Here," he motioned for her to climb up on his back, which she did gladly. And that's  
how their expedition began, not a great start, but both seem pleased with one another's  
company. A blanket of mist gathered across the deserted roads as they traveled, flickering  
streetlights danced across few tired faces still parading the streets. They looked strange to  
those passing them, but they paid no attention to their gaping.

They were **too** caught up in each other.

**--.. **

**Note**: ahhhhhh …..jumps up and down….. this chapter took forever, I started it around 3 in the afternoon and now its 2 in the morning.

O gosh it probably suxs, all that effort down the drain. I wanna say thank you to all those that reviewed my little story, you were defenitly

the ones that pushed me to finish this. And so I did. I think I need a little break though, that took alotta energy outta me. Maybe

tomorrow I'll have another chapter, but it will be up soon! Thanks again!

**more asap. **


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